WVTK Local & State News – October 11, 2017

Police say a 27 year-old Bristol woman has been cited for embezzlement. Last month, Bristol Police were contacted by a local business of a reported theft of money from its establishment. Police declined to say which business reported the theft. Police add an investigation revealed Rebecca Freegard was an employee of the business, and while conducting routine tasks related to her employment, would convert money from the business to her own personal use. Freegard was processed and released with a citation to appear in Addison Superior Court Criminal Division at a later date.

The former Rutland Town Administrator, Joseph Zingale, has filed a lawsuit in Rutland Superior Court. Zingale’s lawsuit states he he was fired illegally and without just cause, and the process used by the town did not follow the town’s personnel policy. The lawsuit seeks unspecified damages, costs, attorneys’ fees, and any and all other appropriate relief.

New York is offering a special license plate to increase awareness for childhood cancer and research. Cancer is the number one disease killer of children, teens, and young adults. $25 from each license plate will go to the Cure Childhood Cancer Research Fund. The plates are available for both passenger and commercial vehicles. The Cure Childhood Cancer plate is available at any DMV office, on the web, by mail or through the DMV Custom Plates Unit.

A Vermont school’s community garden is hoping to get its garlic back. Coordinators with the Hinesburg Community Garden say they noticed all the garlic was missing about two weeks ago. Kids in grades K-4 planted it. School leaders say everything from the garden is used for school meals, and kids look forward to spaghetti day. They’re hoping if you took it by mistake to return it, no questions asked. In the meantime, though, some families have donated their own garlic to the school.

The head of the Vermont Refugee Resettlement Program says the group will scale back its efforts after President Donald Trump announced a reduced admissions cap for refugees. The agency had hoped to help 450 refugees relocate to Vermont in the new fiscal year. Instead, they will aim for 345. The State Department has approved plans to resettle 270 refugees in Colchester and 75 in Rutland. The White House says the reduction is needed to allow more thorough vetting of applicants.